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Politician Buder: "We have to stop giving top marks in politics, as we do for behavior in school"
Photo: Marco Riedel / dpa
The CDU politician Sabine Buder has often raised her hand in the past three years when it came to proving herself in her party - and often found that it was not well received in her regional association. In the general election, the 37-year-old did not win her constituency, but got the best first vote result of the CDU in Brandenburg.
When the party then discussed renewal and dual leadership, Buder wanted to set an example: She asked her district association Märkisch Oderland to be allowed to run for the federal chairmanship of the CDU - as the only woman against three men. The association rejected them, in the district executive there were seven votes against, four votes in favor and two abstentions.
SPIEGEL:
Ms. Buder, you wanted to run for federal chairmanship, but the district executive did not nominate you.
Are you considering quitting the party?
Buder:
Nope.
Why then?
You don't become a member of a party to get a post.
I chose the CDU because the values convince me.
However, I am more often asked whether I am in the wrong party.
This irritates me.
SPIEGEL:
With your candidacy you wanted to set an example: It is not only men who should apply for the highest office in the party.
That probably backfired.
Buder:
The argument was: I would damage the party because my candidacy was not promising.
But in the end, the picture that has now been created probably hurts us more.
You didn't have to choose me.
But they didn't even give me a chance to prove myself.
SPIEGEL:
You have only been with the party since 2018 and have little political experience.
Many accuse you of selfishness.
What do you say to these people?
Buder:
Who do you want to convince as a politician: voters or other politicians?
At a farmer's demo today, a farmer said to me that she thought it was great that I tried.
My candidacy would have made the CDU more sympathetic to them.
Someone wrote to me the other day on Twitter: You are the only reason why I am considering joining the CDU.
Is this advertising effect selfish for the party?
SPIEGEL:
Would your district executive have treated a man differently?
Buder:
How many cheeky young guys are there in politics?
I don't think they have to listen to the rubbish that they are too cheeky.
But it doesn't just have to do with women or men.
We have to stop giving top marks in politics as we do in school.
When are you good enough?
When you've had so and so many canapés at political events?
Instead, it should be about what someone can do in terms of content.
As a practical vet, I don't need to hide.